This time a year ago Darren Hyde was still savouring one of the highlights of his career.
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Things are a little different now but he still got to savour a win on Country Championships day at Coonamble on Sunday.
The Hyde-trained Westlink scored a commanding win in last year's $150,000 heat at Dubbo Turf Club before going on to finish a creditable fifth in the $500,000 final at Randwick.
Hyde had no runner in Sunday's edition of the heat - won by the Kody Nestor-trained Sneak Preview - but he took out one of the day's earlier races with Mr Epic.
Combining with jockey Andrew Banks, the seven-year-old got back to winning ways when taking out the Australian Turf Club Benchmark 66 Showcase Handicap (1600m).
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The win was particularly pleasing given he started from barrier nine with 61.5kg on his back.
"There's a lot of weight and a bad draw but I'd just said to Andrew try to go forward and slot in as close as you can to give him an easy run in behind and that's what he did," Hyde said.
"The way he put them away, it was a good effort."
Mr Epic had shown promise without getting across the line in recent starts.
He headed to Coonamble having run third in the Diggers Cup at Cowra, a race Hyde is familiar with, while there had a been a disappointing eighth in the Cowra Cup prior to that.
"His run a fortnight ago in the Diggers Cup, the race Westlink won after the championships, it was good merit. His run before that, in the Cowra Cup ... he was three deep the trip so he was entitled to knock up that day," Hyde said.
"It was a good effort today though."
Hyde also confirmed Westlink will now begin his preparation after arriving back in Dubbo from a spell on Saturday.
He had contested short course events last preparation as he was an outside chance for a Kosciuszko slot, but Hyde said there was no definite plans this time in.
"This time last year we probably had the best team of horses we'd had in a long time," he said, before touching on Westlink.
"We'll work him back up and see where we end up."
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Nick Guthrie
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
